The Avalon Regal Theater (originally the Avalon Theater, and later the New Regal Theater) is a music hall located at 1641 East 79th Street, bordered by the Avalon Park and South Shore neighborhoods on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The theater opened in August 1927 and is a noted venue for African-American performers.
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| Address | 1641 East 79th Street Chicago, Illinois United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°45′05″N 87°35′01″W / 41.75139°N 87.58361°W |
| Owner | Community Capital Investment, LLC |
| Operator | Chicago Regal Foundation 501(c)(3) |
| Designation | Chicago Landmark (June 17, 1992) |
| Type |
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| Capacity | 2,250 seats |
| Construction | |
| Opened | August 29, 1927[citation needed] |
| Closed | June 26, 2003–August 2008 March 2010 |
| Rebuilt | 1985 (renovated)[1] |
| Years active | 1927–1967 1970–1985 1987–2003 2008–2010 |
| Architect | John Eberson |
| Website | |
| regaltheater | |
| Official name | New Regal Theater |
| Type | Cultural venue |
| Designated | June 17, 1992 |
Architecture
editArchitecturally, the Avalon Regal's atmospheric and Moorish Revivalist theme was conceived by Austrian-born architect John Eberson, who was nationally known for his exotic motifs. Eberson was reportedly inspired by an ornate Persian incense burner he found in an antique market in the French Quarter of New Orleans.[2]
History
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The theater opened as the Avalon Theater on August 29, 1927, when the community was known as Avalon Park, a then predominantly German, Swedish, and Irish neighborhood. At the time of its opening, The theater served as a live performing arts venue until 1934. During the 1960s, more African Americans began to move into the area around the theater, becoming a staple for the Black community in the area.[3]
The Avalon Theater operated as a movie theater from 1935 until its closing in 1967. When the theater was sold in 1970, It served as the Miracle Temple Church and a meeting place for 14 years. In 1985, The building was purchased by Edward and Bettiann Gardner, the founders of Soft Sheen Products. The Gardners renovated and reopened the theater as a performing arts venue in 1987,[1] renaming it to The New Regal Theater in honor of the old Regal Theater[4] in Bronzeville, a celebrated cultural center for Chicago's African American community from the 1920s to 1971. In May 1987, the theater received a $1 million grant for renovations from Illinois Development Action Grant program under mayor Harold Washington's administration, part of a financial package totaling $4.1 million.[5] The theater received Chicago Landmark status on June 17, 1992.[6] In June 2003, after 18 years, the Gardners closed the theater due to low attendance and operational cost of the building.[citation needed]
In 2008, the theater was purchased by Regina Evans, police chief of Country Club Hills, Illinois, and a state fund of $2.36 million, with the intent of reviving it as a cultural venue.[7] Evans secured a state loan for $1.25 million for renovations to the theater but used the funds for personal use.[8][9] The site held a party to celebrate Barack Obama's presidential nomination acceptance speech in August 2008.[10] The theater was foreclosed and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. acquired the theater in 2011. It was later sold to Community Capital Investment, LLC. Jerald Gary, president and chief investment officer of Community Capital Investment Partners, LLC purchased the theater for $100,000 in a foreclosure deal in 2010[11] or February 2014.[8][12] In September 2018, Rapper and Chicago native Kanye West committed to help restore the theater, pledging to donate $1 million dollars.[13][14]
The Chicago Regal Foundation was created to raise funds to reopen and operate the Avalon Regal Theater, and offers tours of the building during the Chicago Architecture Foundation's annual Open House Chicago.[15][16][17]
References
edit- ^ a b "New Regal Theatre in Chicago, IL". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
- ^ Mark Konkol. "No man is an Island - Hop off the Dan Ryan for a compelling journey through a hood that's authentic Chicago". Chicago Sun-Times. November 9, 2007. p. 12.
- ^ "Kanye West joins effort to revive shuttered Avalon Regal Theater". Chicago Sun-Times. September 11, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
- ^ Semmes, C. (April 4, 2011). UMKC. ISBN 978-0230113152.
- ^ Explore Chicago Collections - Mayor Washington at the New Regal Theater opening
- ^ New Regal Theater Archived August 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Landmarks Division (2003). Retrieved on August 21, 2007.
- ^ David Roeder and Fran Spielman. "Regal rebirth - The old Avalon Theatre is taking on new life as investors close a $2.36 million deal for the South Side icon". Chicago Sun-Times. March 14, 2008. pg. 54.
- ^ a b Crains Chicago Business - He's no Roc-a-Fella, but this J has Regal plans - March 18, 2014 - SHIA KAPOS
- ^ David Roeder and Fran Spielman. "Curtains for New Regal? Archived October 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine" Chicago Sun-Times. October 2, 2009. Retrieved on October 23, 2009.
- ^ Chicagoans Celebrate Obama's Nomination Archived November 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. CBS 2 Chicago. August 28, 2008. Retrieved on October 23, 2009.
- ^ Chicago Sun times - EDITORIAL: Kanye’s right. Restoring the Avalon Regal Theater a cause worth championing - September 14, 2018
- ^ Style Magazine - Jerald Gary, 30, Buys Historic Regal Theater in Chicago to Restore and Use with Art Non-Profits Style Magazine Newswire - 7/20/2016
- ^ WGN News (Chicago, IL) Kanye West committing $1 million to restore Avalon Regal Theater, owner says - February 2019
- ^ The Real Deal - Kanye West donating $1M to restoration of historic South Side theater (The Avalon Regal Theater in South Shore, a 1920s-era movie palace, has been closed since 2003) - March 02, 2019
- ^ Kapos, Shia (March 10, 2014). "Rumors aside, new owner of Chicago's New Regal Theater has big plans". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ "South Side's Restoration on Full View for Open House Chicago - Hyde Park - DNAinfo.com Chicago". Archived from the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
- ^ "New Regal Theater (Avalon Theater) · Sites · Open House Chicago". Archived from the original on February 24, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
External links
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